Tree replanting starts in Cape Town's Newlands after devastating beetle infestation
After thousands of trees were lost to the devastating shot hole borer beetle infestation, new life is being planted in Newlands, Cape Town. It's the first reforestation effort to restore biodiversity in the city's southern suburbs.
Over the past few years, there has been a catastrophic loss of thousands of trees to the invasive polyphagous shot-hole borer beetle, but new hope is taking root in Newlands, Cape Town.
On Monday, 26 May 2025, the City of Cape Town embarked on its first reforestation initiative in the southern suburbs, aiming to restore biodiversity and ecological function to an area once lined with majestic box elder trees which had to be cut down after being infested with the tree-killing beetle.
The polyphagous shot-hole borer beetle, originally from Vietnam, has swept through Cape Town, forcing the removal of mature box elders (Acer negundo) and a number of other tree species that had long provided shade, beauty and a critical habitat for urban wildlife.
The loss was deeply felt by residents and environmental groups alike. Now, the City of Cape Town, working alongside the Newlands City Improvement District, TreeKeepers and other partners, is planting mature water oaks (Quercus nigra) – a species selected for its resilience and low susceptibility to the beetle.
The replanting process is a carefully coordinated effort, as seen in Newlands this week, where teams of workers used both machinery and teamwork to position and secure each new tree. These water oaks are expected to grow into large, shade-giving trees that will help restore the ecological value lost with the box elders.
Clare Burgess, chair of TreeKeepers, emphasised the urgency: 'Every month that there isn't a tree where there once was one, we're losing the ecological function that the tree was providing for the city.'
She called for a citywide campaign, extending beyond leafy suburbs to areas like the Cape Flats and northern suburbs, supported by long-term management and maintenance.
Deputy Mayor Eddie Andrews echoed this commitment, saying this was just the beginning of a broader campaign to replace every tree lost to the beetle, ensuring Cape Town's urban forest can thrive for generations to come. DM
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Trees replanted in Newlands amid beetle infestation
Quercus nigra trees (water oaks) are planted in Kildare Circle parking area, which are non-reproductive hosts for PSHB. Image: Supplied Six trees at a Newlands public square have been removed due to a polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB) infestation, as the invasive beetle continues to threaten Cape Town's urban forest and agricultural crops, potentially causing R275 billion in economic damage over the next decade if uncontrolled. It is for this reason that Claremont ward councillor, Mikhail Manuel, joined forces with Deputy Mayor and mayco member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Eddie Andrews, along with other departments and agencies, to carry out a tree planting ceremony on Monday in Newlands, where five quercus nigra trees (water oaks) were planted in the Kildare Circle parking area, which are non-reproductive hosts for the PSHB. Originating in southeast Asia and identified in South Africa in 2017, the PSHB has spread to eight provinces and infests over 100 local tree species. Identifying infestations is difficult due to the beetle's 2mm size. The City of Cape Town reported a PSHB-infested boxelder tree in Newlands in January 2023, advising neighbors to inspect their trees. The initial infestation in Somerset West in March 2019 was contained until the Newlands sighting. The City said it was thanks to the combined efforts of the Parks and Recreation, Roads and Infrastructure, and the Energy Departments, that the replanting project came to fruition this month. Andrews said the event raised awareness for residents. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ 'The combined efforts of three different directorates are a testament to our commitment to managing the spread of PSHB infestations in Cape Town. It is important that we plant new trees to replace those lost to PSHB beetles. I want to encourage all residents to familiarise themselves with the list of trees which are reproductive hosts of the PSHB,' he said. 'If you suspect an infected tree, please contact our invasive species unit so we can act to mitigate the spread of the beetle.' Manuel said it was the first replacement of planting of trees infected by the PSHB beetle in the southern suburbs. 'Trees are a significant feature of our area's character, so we must do everything possible to continuously plant new trees every year. We are grateful for the offers of assistance from our community partners, most notably Newlands CID and TreeKeepers,' he said. Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel.
Daily Maverick
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Tree replanting starts in Cape Town's Newlands after devastating beetle infestation
After thousands of trees were lost to the devastating shot hole borer beetle infestation, new life is being planted in Newlands, Cape Town. It's the first reforestation effort to restore biodiversity in the city's southern suburbs. Over the past few years, there has been a catastrophic loss of thousands of trees to the invasive polyphagous shot-hole borer beetle, but new hope is taking root in Newlands, Cape Town. On Monday, 26 May 2025, the City of Cape Town embarked on its first reforestation initiative in the southern suburbs, aiming to restore biodiversity and ecological function to an area once lined with majestic box elder trees which had to be cut down after being infested with the tree-killing beetle. The polyphagous shot-hole borer beetle, originally from Vietnam, has swept through Cape Town, forcing the removal of mature box elders (Acer negundo) and a number of other tree species that had long provided shade, beauty and a critical habitat for urban wildlife. The loss was deeply felt by residents and environmental groups alike. Now, the City of Cape Town, working alongside the Newlands City Improvement District, TreeKeepers and other partners, is planting mature water oaks (Quercus nigra) – a species selected for its resilience and low susceptibility to the beetle. The replanting process is a carefully coordinated effort, as seen in Newlands this week, where teams of workers used both machinery and teamwork to position and secure each new tree. These water oaks are expected to grow into large, shade-giving trees that will help restore the ecological value lost with the box elders. Clare Burgess, chair of TreeKeepers, emphasised the urgency: 'Every month that there isn't a tree where there once was one, we're losing the ecological function that the tree was providing for the city.' She called for a citywide campaign, extending beyond leafy suburbs to areas like the Cape Flats and northern suburbs, supported by long-term management and maintenance. Deputy Mayor Eddie Andrews echoed this commitment, saying this was just the beginning of a broader campaign to replace every tree lost to the beetle, ensuring Cape Town's urban forest can thrive for generations to come. DM
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21-05-2025
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Machine arrives at Cape Town's Zeekoevlei for dredging to begin
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